Niels Bohr was a Nobel Prize winning scientist, who made extremely important contributions to the fields of Atomic Structure and Quantum Mechanics. He was known as a brilliant mentor to many a famous physicist, and
his knowledge was sought far and wide. He was even known to have worked on the fabled Manhattan Project, and went to great lengths speaking against the potential misuse of an Atomic Bomb. Without Bohr, the very things students learn in the science classroom would be drastically different, and potentially much more limited.
Insight and Influence
Niels Bohr was influenced by several things. An early influence was his father, Christian Bohr, who was a Physiology Professor. His most important contribution, his atomic model, was based on the one made by his mentor, Ernest Rutherford. The time period in which he lived in most certainly affected Neils Bohr’s studies. Bohr had to leave Germany during the 1940’s, because the Nazi secret police were
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about to arrest him, because of his being Jewish. It was because of his leaving the country that he was told about the Manhattan Project, and was led to help work on it. ³
Major Contributions
Perhaps Bohr’s most well known and important contribution was his work on the theory of the structure of the Atomic Model. His mentor, Ernest Rutherford, had already theorized that atoms were made up of a nucleus, with electrons orbiting around it. However, Bohr made important expansions on this theory, mainly regarding the paths that the electrons follow. He proposed that “electrons travel only in certain successively larger orbits. He suggested that the outer orbits could hold more electrons than the inner ones, and that these outer orbits determine the atom's chemical properties. It was for his atomic model that he was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1922.¹” Bohr also went to great lengths to prevent the misuse of atomic weaponry, and even stood up to the then current Prime minister of Britian, Winston Churchill, regarding his opinion that information about nuclear weapons should be shared with other countries. ²
Biography
Niels Bohr was born on October 7th, 1885, In Copenhagen, Denmark. He was the child of his father, Christian Bohr, who was a physiologist, and his mother, Ellen Bohr. Niels, and his brother Harold both enjoyed playing football (Soccer). When he was eighteen, he enrolled in college at Copenhagen University. He initially studied Philosophy and Mathematics, not Physics. However, he decided to enter a physics contest at his school in 1905. He won the contest, and became fascinated with Physics as a result. Eventually, after studying under Ernest Rutherford, he eventually began to teach at the very school he studied at, Copenhagen University. Some of his significant political views were regarding the aspect of the Atomic Bomb; he believed that the Allied Powers needed to develop it, but he also was strongly against using it. Bohr married Margrethe Nørlund, with whom he had six children with. Unfortunately, two died. However, his four surviving children all developed successful careers, one becoming a lawyer, another a doctor, and the other two becoming scientists, following in their father's footstep's, a theoretical physicist, and a chemical engineer, respectively. Bohr died in his home of Copenhagen on November 18, 1962. ³
The Things He Left Behind
Niels Bohr led an interesting life, and he left a significant legacy behind him. The most important thing that he left behind is his Atomic Model. While his model isn’t the most accurate model in existence today, it is still very widely used, particularly by teachers teaching the basics of atomic principles to new students. Bohr also wrote over 100 different published works of writing, and three of those were published in English as books. He also has the honor of having one of the elements of the Periodic Table of Elements, Bohrium, named after him. ⁴If he were still alive today, Bohr would likely like to know about how he has influenced the Physics community, particularly in the field of Atomic Research. He would also probably like to be informed with how nuclear weapons exist today, and in what capacity.
Niels Bohr
Niels Bohr was a Nobel Prize winning scientist, who made extremely important contributions to the fields of Atomic Structure and Quantum Mechanics. He was known as a brilliant mentor to many a famous physicist, and
Table of Contents
Insight and Influence
Niels Bohr was influenced by several things. An early influence was his father, Christian Bohr, who was a Physiology Professor. His most important contribution, his atomic model, was based on the one made by his mentor, Ernest Rutherford. The time period in which he lived in most certainly affected Neils Bohr’s studies. Bohr had to leave Germany during the 1940’s, because the Nazi secret police were
Major Contributions
Perhaps Bohr’s most well known and important contribution was his work on the theory of the structure of the Atomic Model. His mentor, Ernest Rutherford, had already theorized that atoms were made up of a nucleus, with electrons orbiting around it. However, Bohr made important expansions on this theory, mainly regarding the paths that the electrons follow. He proposed that “electrons travel only in certain successively larger orbits. He suggested that the outer orbits could hold more electrons than the inner ones, and that these outer orbits determine the atom's chemical properties. It was for his atomic model that he was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1922.¹” Bohr also went to great lengths to prevent the misuse of atomic weaponry, and even stood up to the then current Prime minister of Britian, Winston Churchill, regarding his opinion that information about nuclear weapons should be shared with other countries. ²
Biography
Niels Bohr was born on October 7th, 1885, In Copenhagen, Denmark. He was the child of his father, Christian Bohr, who was a physiologist, and his mother, Ellen Bohr. Niels, and his brother Harold both enjoyed playing football (Soccer). When he was eighteen, he enrolled in college at Copenhagen University. He initially studied Philosophy and Mathematics, not Physics. However, he decided to enter a physics contest at his school in 1905. He won the contest, and became fascinated with Physics as a result. Eventually, after studying under Ernest Rutherford, he eventually began to teach at the very school he studied at, Copenhagen University. Some of his significant political views were regarding the aspect of the Atomic Bomb; he believed that the Allied Powers needed to develop it, but he also was strongly against using it. Bohr married Margrethe Nørlund, with whom he had six children with. Unfortunately, two died. However, his four surviving children all developed successful careers, one becoming a lawyer, another a doctor, and the other two becoming scientists, following in their father's footstep's, a theoretical physicist, and a chemical engineer, respectively. Bohr died in his home of Copenhagen on November 18, 1962. ³
The Things He Left Behind
Niels Bohr led an interesting life, and he left a significant legacy behind him. The most important thing that he left behind is his Atomic Model. While his model isn’t the most accurate model in existence today, it is still very widely used, particularly by teachers teaching the basics of atomic principles to new students. Bohr also wrote over 100 different published works of writing, and three of those were published in English as books. He also has the honor of having one of the elements of the Periodic Table of Elements, Bohrium, named after him. ⁴If he were still alive today, Bohr would likely like to know about how he has influenced the Physics community, particularly in the field of Atomic Research. He would also probably like to be informed with how nuclear weapons exist today, and in what capacity.
References
1 http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95oct/nbohr.html
2 http://www.doug-long.com/bohr.htm
3 http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1922/bohr-bio.html
4 http://www.webelements.com/bohrium/